Brisbane Healthcare & Medical Treatment

Having recently been ranked as having the second-best healthcare system in the world based on factors such as care process, access, administrative efficiency, and healthcare outcomes, Australia has a solid reputation for its comprehensive medical services.

If you’ve only recently moved to Brisbane, however, navigating private health insurance options and Government services like Medicare can seem like a complex process. That’s why we’ve developed a guide to Brisbane healthcare to help clarify the Australian healthcare system and other critical services.

Healthcare in Brisbane

Government department Queensland Health manages all public health services in Brisbane, including hospital inpatient, outpatient and emergency services, community and mental health services, aged care services, and public health programs.

Brisbane is the healthcare hub of Queensland, with over 30 private and 20 public hospitals in the city and surrounding suburbs, including the Princess Alexandra Hospital, the Mater Hospital network, and the Royal Brisbane & Women’s Hospital – the largest hospital in the southern hemisphere.

General medical facilities are supported by many specialist services including physiotherapists, dentists, cardiologists, dermatologists, ophthalmologists, podiatrists, and prosthodontists, among others.

Medicare

Australia has a universal healthcare system known as ‘Medicare’, which provides subsidies on medical costs for citizens, permanent residents and certain visa holders. If you’re visiting Brisbane or living here on a work visa, some of the costs of medical care may be covered if your home country has a reciprocal health care agreement with Australia. Those countries include:

· Belgium

· Finland

· Italy

· Malta

· the Netherlands

· New Zealand

· Norway

· the Republic of Ireland

· Slovenia

· Sweden

· the United Kingdom

To sign up for a Medicare card under the Reciprocal Health Care Agreement (RHCA), you’ll need to meet the specific conditions for your country. Find out more about eligibility for Medicare for visa holders and visitors.

Once you are enrolled in Medicare, you’ll be entitled to:

· Free treatment as a public patient in a public hospital

· Free or subsidised treatment by doctors in a general practice

· Subsidies on some treatments by participating specialists, optometrists and dentists

Read more about what is covered by Medicare.

Private health insurance

Because many visa holders are not covered by Medicare, there are a number of specific private health insurance options for visa holders and visitors. Depending on your visa requirements, you may even need to take out a private health insurance policy to work in Brisbane – check the specifics of your visa documentation.

When deciding on a health insurance plan, you can choose from varying levels of hospital and medical coverage, as well as optional extras such as optical care, dental care, physiotherapy, and chiropractic services. Each provider and plan differs in coverage and costs, so it’s worth doing some research to find the best plan to suit your specific needs.

Some of the major private health insurance companies offering insurance for overseas visitors and visa holders include:

If you take out private health insurance and become a permanent resident in Australia, you could be eligible to claim a private health insurance rebate on your tax return. This means the Australian Government contributes towards the cost of your insurance premiums. Find out more about the private health insurance rebate.

Dental treatment in Brisbane

Visits to the dentist and dental treatments are typically not covered by Medicare or basic insurance plans, so if you need to go to the dentist, you’ll have to pay out-of-pocket or choose insurance with dental coverage. Certain private health funds include a waiting period, so check yours to make sure you’re able to claim for dental treatment before making an appointment.

Emergency services

Australia’s emergency number for ambulance, fire, and police services is 000. While ambulance services aren’t covered by Medicare, the Queensland Government covers permanent residents of Brisbane for emergency pre-hospital ambulance treatment and transport. If you aren’t a permanent resident, you can also take out a specific ambulance policy through your private health insurance fund. Out-of-pocket ambulance costs vary depending on the length of the trip.

For non-urgent services, call 131 233 for ambulance services, or 131 444 for police.

QLD SES

The QLD State Emergency Service is a volunteer-based not-for-profit organisation that provides 24/7 emergency assistance to people during emergencies in Brisbane and throughout Queensland. They are available to assist with:

· Flood and storm emergencies

· Road accident rescue

· Vertical rescue

· Bush search and rescue

In Queensland, SES volunteers are trained as community first responders, so they are equipped to assist the police and ambulance services in emergencies.

For emergency help during a major event such as flooding, contact QLD SES on 132 500.

Gyms

Exercise is a popular pastime for many Brisbane residents, and there are many gyms throughout the city and surrounding suburbs. As well as general gyms, there are many purpose-built health and fitness facilities throughout Brisbane, including yoga centres, pilates centres, aquatic centres, boxing gyms, indoor sports clubs, well-being centres, and many others.

Some of the major Brisbane gym groups include:

Fitness First

Snap Fitness

Anytime Fitness

Fernwood Fitness (women only)

Certain private health insurance policies cover the cost of gym memberships, so you may be able to claim back your monthly membership fee.